In a session entitled Who is the LGBT traveller in 2017?, Ian Johnson, chief executive of Out Now Consulting, revealed statistics from the marketing specialist’s LGBT 2030 survey showing that 44% of respondents had spent between £2,000 and £5,000 on holidays during this period.

Johnson urged delegates to consider “how the consumer is perceiving your [pro-LGBT] message” in order to secure their custom, adding that travel firms should look to work with nations that have laws supportive of LGBT rights so “consumers will think you’re doing something right”.

Meanwhile, in a panel session moderated by TTG Media managing director Daniel Pearce, representatives from Thailand, Israel and Belize described their current and future plans to grow their numbers of LGBT travellers.

Sharon Bershadsky, director, Israel Ministry of Tourism Office, UK, said the country believed the LGBT market was “so important” and cited its work in Tel Aviv, which welcomed 25,000 more visitors for its Pride celebration this year than five years ago.

Representing Belize, Trudi Pearce, director of responsible tourism at The Brighter Group, said the PR firm was helping to produce a study emphasising the importance of LGBT tourism to Belizean ministers and business leaders following the Caribbean nation’s decision to legalise same-sex relations in 2016.

Meanwhile, Chris Lee, head of marketing UK and Ireland, Tourism Authority of Thailand, admitted the destination had to do more to reach out to the LGBT market.

“Sometimes you can be too close to the product and assume that everyone knows Thailand is an LGBT-friendly destination. Going forward, we have got to do more,” he told delegates.